Ryan Garcia predicted he’d want 5 rounds or fewer to knock Conor Benn out.
On Saturday, o.
The 28-year-old WBC welterweight world champion has tasted defeat earlier than — by knockout to Gervonta “Tank” Davis, and o. And he's by no means been removed from controversy — within the ring, having failed drug assessments in relation to his Devin Haney combat in 2024, and out of the ring having livestreamed racial slurs that very same 12 months.
Regardless of the losses and questionable feedback, Garcia’s reputation did not wither. His social media figures solely climbed.
However, in boxing, follower counts matter little until you may again it up within the ring, which till the 12 months had been one place Garcia carried out inconsistently.
Regardless, 2026 has confirmed to be a banner 12 months for Garcia.
He boxed with maturity to n in February, and returned to the game seven months later for his combat with Benn.
Zuffa Boxing believed in Benn a lot it signed him to a reported one-fight, $15 million deal earlier this 12 months. On Saturday, on the T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas, Garcia wanted little greater than 4 minutes to t.
He did so by by no means letting Benn discover a rhythm. From the opening bell, Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) sat down on his left hook at any time when Benn pressed ahead, then broke the combat open with the punch he'd been constructing all camp: A brief proper hand that put the Brit on the canvas within the second spherical.
Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) climbed up on unsteady legs, however Garcia gave him no room to get well, slicing off the ring and unloading till referee Thomas Taylor had seen sufficient, placing a cease to all of it in the course of the second spherical.
His résumé, mixed with a capability to attract a crowd of 18,855 on Saturday for greater than $8 million in ticket income, raises the query of whether or not Garcia has turn out to be one of many faces of the game.
“You've acquired to say so, proper?” Garcia stated within the hours following his win. “You've acquired to respect it. I'm going to carry that as excessive as I can, be the most effective champion and be the most effective face of boxing that I may be.”
The game appears to thrive or die on its commodities. And also you want solely have a look at the marquee dates of Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekend to see how vital it’s for boxing’s well being {that a} appropriate celebrity headlines these exhibits — from Oscar De La Hoya to Floyd Mayweather and, extra lately, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
With z on the weekend closest to Cinco de Mayo earlier this 12 months, and h, the game is already adjusting to life after “Canelo.”
“I’ve undoubtedly acquired the golden ticket,” Garcia stated. “In the event that they need to come get it, we’ll determine who we give the golden tickets out to. We're Willy Wonka in right here, let's go.
“I feel they acquired a style of it on Mexican Independence Day weekend, and now they'll get the primary dish on Cinco de Mayo. It'll be even nastier subsequent time.”
Garcia’s win over Benn was his first protection of the WBC welterweight championship that he gained for defeating Barrios on the playing cards.
There are a wealth of choices obtainable to Garcia subsequent.
He may combat Haney for a second time, rematch “Tank” Davis, or goal a brand new opponent like WBA welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez, who was ringside to observe the Benn knockout.
“I knock Teo out, [in] Spherical 7 or 8,” Garcia proclaimed, confirming he’s eyeing a unification bout with Lopez subsequent following a.
Lopez ought to beware. If Garcia’s newest night time in Vegas proved something, it’s that he units a deadline within the ring however is simply as comfy beating it.